Turntable base for trunks



Aug. 5, J. LUFT TURNTABLE BASE FOR TRUNKS Filed Jan. 5, 1949 m/ INVENTOR. John Luft Patented Aug. 5, 1952 TURNTABLE BASE F OR TRUNKS John Luft, Oshkosh, Wis., assignor to Oshkosh Trunks and Luggage, Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 5, 1949, Serial No. 69,359

1 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a base which is swivelly connected with a trunk at its bottom to provide therefor a rotatable mounting upon which the trunk may also be rolled over a floor, platform, or other supporting surface. The base embodies in its construction certain novel features having to do with the rotatable mounting itself; also the trunk bottom is specially constructed to cooperate with the mounting and to assist in maintaining the trunk in perfect perpendicularity to the floor so that it may operate with the minimum of friction. Likewise protection is afforded for the turntable itself which is carried on the underside of the trunk bottom, and in which resiliency is embodied to a degree which will assist in maintaining the supported trunk vertically so as to have capacity for free rotation. My invention also includes in the turntable base a novel assembly of parts which contribute to its resiliency and strength, and also provide secure mountings for rollers by which to facilitate a rolling movement across the floor of the turntable with its supported trunk.

A primary objective which is reached by the present turntable base is (1) strength in a high degree so as to withstand all the abusive and rigorous treatment which is commonly encountered in use; (2) durability whereby the turntable base and parts associated therewith may be protected and safeguarded over an extended period of service; (3) lightness consistent with strength so as to avoid the addition of undue weight to the trunk; and (4) simplicity in the construction and assembly of the various parts whereby they may be put together quickly and easily, and, in case of need, be taken apart for purposes of adjustment, repair, or replacement.

A suggestive embodiment of my invention, as embodied in a turntable base for trunks such as will hereinafter be described in detail, is set forth'in the accompanying drawing in the manner following:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a trunk equipped with the present turntable base;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the base and lower portion of a trunk, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the trunk, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the supporting rollers in operative relation to the turntable.

For a clearer understanding of the present turntable base, I have shown the lower portion 2 of a wardrobe trunk comprising a bottom mem her 5 joined to two opposite side walls 6 and 1. The remaining two opposite sides of the trunk which are shown as open may be closed by doors 8 and 9 hinged at H] and H to swing open about vertical axes. Flanges I2 may be built onto the free edges of each door as is common. Suitable protecting sheathing is usually applied exteriorly to the trunk at desired places, and also the usual fittings, such as a handle, locks, etc. o

The turntable base, except for the parts which constitute its mounting, is positioned to the underside of the trunk bottom. As shown, it comprises upper and lower discs I5 and I6, respectively, having substantially the same diameter. The size of these discs is desirably such as to extend for the major distance crosswise of the trunk so as to afford a broad base therefor. For both discs plywood is an especially suitable material because of the properties of stiffness and resiliency with which it is endowed. The upper disc is perhaps 7 thick and the lower disc about thick. Outside plies I! of fiber orthe like may be added to the lower disc for protective purposes, and a lightsteel plate I 8 of circular form is desirably fitted over the top of the upper disc. The two plywood discs l5 and I6 together with the top plate I8 is herein sometimes referred to as the disc assembly.

A relatively heavy thrust disc 20 is carried on theunder side of the lower disc. As by means of a plurality of circularly arranged rivets 2!, each of which extends through this disc and upwardly through the two plywood discs and the top plate I8, these several parts are secured 1mmovably in permanently assembled relation, The two plywood discs l5 and iii are maintained n slightly spaced relation through the interposition of circular flanges 23 each of which outstands laterally from a housing 25 wherein is confined a roller 26 bearing against a plurality of balls 21, the roller being adapted torest upon the floor or other surface whereon the trunk is to be placed. Each roller housing is surmounted by a dome 28 of reduced diameter. To accommodate the several domes and housings, sockets of proper size are formed through the upper and lower, discs 15 and I6, and the height of each dome is such-that it extends for the full vertical distance of the associated socket so as to abut the steel plate l8 at the upper end thereof. At points proximate to each dome additional rivet fastenings 29 may be extended through the plate l8 and the two, discs I5 and it to further strengthen the assembly thereof.

The parts described up to this point constitute for the trunk a base which normally is stationary. Its depending rollers of which six is the indicated number provide a six point support for the base, and since these rollers are free to rotate in their mountings the base may readily be rolled over a smooth floor from one position to another. ;Therdisc-r.oller assembly. which is disposed .below .thextrunk'is swivelly carried by its bottom, and provides for the trunk a rolling supporting base whereon it is sustained firmly and stably with capacity for rotation -.thereupon.

Affixed to the trunk bottom on its under side is a steel plate 32 which extends to'a point close to each of its four sides. This --plate-'a lso'- substantially overlies the top plate iii of the disc assembly, but is centrally apertured-vsoithatrthe trunk bottom may not be unduly restrained from deflection. Associated with the plate 32 are'four reinforcing slats 33 of-hickory wood or the like,

"1 these slats at 1 theirmitered en'ds bei-ng: enclosed =withincorner guards tflvof brass oraithe alike. The dimensions of the panel defined byithe'ffour 1 slats *may -be slightly less than a the diameteriof *thedisc assembly already described; .to provide- ";the necessary clearance for the discs: eachtslat -may be arcuately-recessed -at '35 uponits inner f -face, as shown. .The-peri'phery of thefldiscas- --sembly may be protected -=and enhancedhasito appearance byafiixing theretoa circular angle -"strip '36 of brass or' the like. f? Rivetslz38 extenddng-through the slats 33,platef32,.-and: trunlczbottom-may=-be used to interconnect these sparts, supplemented by other rivets? 3 9 :which: intercon- -ne'ct thetrunk bottom-and plateia32. at apointinwardly of" theslats. I Countersinking of: the rivet-heads is resorted to wherever it 1 isizdesir'ed --ito avoid protrusions.

The trunk bottom is-"- provided at .iitsa.1center *with--acircular opening I therethrough. zfOver' {this opening is positioned-=- a mounting: disei'ltl .of

" heavy steel and of siifficiently, large 1 diameter. to

be anchored-in place by rivets 13 WhiCh'5a-1;eX- tended therethrough and throu'ghthei2 trunk bottom-"a t a substantial distance away iromiits 66311 ---'tra1' opening. "Ihese rivets also sextendi-through --anannular-'blocl 44 of plywoodorwhe'like which is rested on the mounting disc? 42 thereby .an-

choring the block dfi fixedlyin place-aswelLtThe mountingdisc separates one pair of complemem 'itary-raceways 45 and l-d constitutingia' raceway unit which'is disposect above the: mounting: disc,

"from a-seoonclpair of-=-complementary raceways 41 and 48, constituting a :second: raceway: .unit v which*is disposed -b'elow the disc. Balls is: within the -raceway of ea'ch-pair providexian :antifriction connection therebetween. :The; top: and bottom raceways 45 and '48: which constitute thrustbearings are seated within. opposing circular' thrust blocks and;52 ,2 respectively. :r-Surrounding each racewayiunit iscan-enclosing ring -ii'lbywhich its .racewayacomponents are-maintainedin-- assembled :relation. "i'fihezupperrirace- .obviously the interior of the trunk may be sub- .divided or compartmented in any one of many different ways, so any further showing thereof is .unnecessary.

=Whenever the trunk is rotated upon its base,

- the ballraceways will minimize the friction. The

topvand bottom'raceways 35 and 48, the two thrust blocks 5| and 52 wherein they are seated,

and the disc assembly below the trunk bottom,

constitute the unit which remains stationary; the intermediate raceways lt and 4?, together with: the i-mounting disc "42 therebetween, and the trunk bottom 5 together with itsbody structure -thereabove,- constitute the unit-which rotates about the-pivot bolt BEl as-an axis. An adequate support to-prevent inclination of the trunk'from the-vertical is an important safeguard to =satisfactoryoperation. This is provided by the strong 1 supportfor'the pivot boltinthe disc assembly below the trunk, and in the ample spread of the heavy mounting'disc-AZ which'is clamped :be-

tween the-two-raceway units and which is firmly anchored-to the trunk b'ottom" at-points :su'fiiciently radially distantto assure a continuedyen ticalpositioning'of the trunk.

The clearance between the top plate :it 'ofi'the .di-sci assembly and theiannular plate 2 gin me- H diatelyithereabove need be but-very littletopro -vide for free-rotat-ion of;the:t runk; upon its turntable base. p-Atthe same;-time,-the distance separation -should;be ;small--so-that,- in case-the trunk; be; poorly handled or be laterally pushed,

comprised-in-the turntable base.

no unduestrain' 'will be imposed uponthe parts In any such event the"disc assembly or'the' trunk-bottom, or

' both, willibe-"deflected out -of a fiathorizontal plane "forthe slight? distance necessary to establish engagement betweenthe disc top plate 18 and the trunk.- "bottom plate 32 at one point.

Further than this the-deflection cannot'proceed.

.- Even while-such engagement continues, rotation :OfrthG'tIllIlk may be effected in opposition'to-the --light frictional contact-between the two plates -18 and; 32 -whose confronting faces-are smooth.

When-the lateral pressure against thev trunk-is relieved, the resiliency 'in the disc assembly and/or trunkbottom will-restore the trunk to a :normal'position of verticality.

moval.

An important advantagein my turntable base is the accessibility aiiorded to its parts in: case that-repairs or adjustment should be needed. The cover (i is first removed, the nut 62 is next unscrewed,-and the'pivot' bolt is then freed for removal from" the under side "of the'base which may thereupon be completely disconnected fromof this invention. The plies ineach disc are 'desirably arranged with the grains'crossing those in-adjacent plies, and suitably adhered'together,

'thereby to enhance the stiffness of thes'tructure and prevent warping. At the same time a disc so built up is susceptible of deflection at any time counter to a resistance which is always uniform, and the property of resiliency which is inherent in such a structure may be relied upon to restore the disc to its normal fiat state. The use of two such discs facilitates the assembly and retention therewith of the several roller housings the lateral flanges whereof are disposed between the discs to fix the roller positions vertically thereof. The heavy plate l8 of steel or the like at the top of the upper disc I5 serves to reinforce the disc assembly; it also affords a strong and unyielding backing for the dome of each roller housing to oppose the up-thrust therefrom resulting from its sustenance of the imposed load of the entire trunk structure and its contents. At the bottom center of the lower disc I6 is aifixed the steel plate 20 which receives the upthrust from the head 6! of the pivot bolt. When the trunk is perfectly balanced upon its base, this bolt is subjected to little or no strain; but even under normal conditions of use it may be called upon occasionally to resist tension forces of considerable magnitude, When this occurs, the thrust plate 20 acts to absorb and distribute over an extended area the tension forces which would otherwise be localized to the possible damage of the lower disc [6. The mounting disc 42 upon the top of the trunk bottom 5 is likewise required to function similarly under these same conditions. By the means just described, I have adequately safeguarded and protected both the disc assembly and trunk bottom against any and all of such contingencies which may be encountered in the normal use of a Wardrobe trunk which is mounted on thepresent turntable base.

The present turntable base is particularly useful with a trunk of the wardrobe type containing one or more compartments, partitions, drawers, clothes hanger supports, etc. Such a trunk is commonly lived in for weeks or months at a time. Besides being large and heavy, it is usually equipped with doors that are fitted to two or more of its sides. Complete accessibility requires that the trunk stand out from the walls of a room suficiently to permit opening of any of its doors, and the placing of articles within, or removal from, the trunk as desired. In a small room, this may be difiicult, if not impossible. With a turntable base as herein described, no trouble will be experienced in rotating the trunk to any desired rotative position; nor will there be any difliculty in rolling the trunk across the floor from one position to another, perhaps into a different room, whenever a change in location is desired.

I claim:

1. The combination of a bottom member with a center opening therethrough, a turntable base for supporting the bottom member comprising a disc positioned below the bottom member in closely spaced relation thereto, a ball raceway unit in connection with the bottom member and disposed above the same over the opening therethrough, a thrust bearing located above the bottom'member in engagement with the raceway unit at the top thereof, spacer means extending between the raceway unit at the bottom thereof and the disc below the bottom member, and a pivot bolt in connection with the disc and extending therefrom axially and upwardly through the bottom member and raceway unit for connection with the thrust bearing for securing the turntable base to the bottom member.

2. A turntable base according to claim 1 in which the spacer means comprises a second raceway unit below the first and of uniform diameter therewith located within the opening of the bottom member, and a second thrust bearing underlying the second raceway unit.

3. A turntable base according to claim 1 in which a mounting plate is positioned between the raceway unit and the bottom member and fixedly secured to the latter, and in which the pivot bolt is passed through an opening in the mounting plate and extended between the disc at the bottom and the thrust bearing at the top.

4. A turntable base according to claim 1 in which a mounting plate is placed between the raceway unit and the bottom member, an annular block is located above the bottom member and surrounds the raceway and rests on the mounting plate, and means is extended through the block, plate and bottom member to anchor the block and plate fixedly thereto.

5. The combination of a bottom member with a center opening, a turntable base for the bottom member comprising a pair of superposed ball raceway units of uniform diameter, an apertured mounting plate between the two raceway units. a pair of opposed thrust bearings one in engagement with each raceway unit, the mounting plate, together with the associated raceways and bearings, constituting a unit adapted for installation upon the bottom member with the mounting plate resting upon the top face thereof and the lower raceway unit depending within its center opening, means for anchoring the mounting plate fixedly to the bottom member, a disc positioned below the bottom member in engagement with the bottom of the lower thrust bearing and thereby maintained in spaced relation to the bottom member, and a pivot bolt in connection with the disc and extended therefrom axially and upwardly for connection with the upper thrust bearing whereby to secure the turntable base to the bot tom member for rotary movement thereof.

6. The combination of a bottom member formed with a center opening therein, a turntable base for the bottom member comprising dual raceway units of uniform diameter in superposed relation afiixed to the bottom member and extending downwardly from the opening thereof, a pivot bolt in connection with the raceway units and extend ing downwardly therefrom, a disc unit carried by the pivot bolt below the bottom member in closely spaced relation thereto and in engagement with the lower raceway unit thereabove whereby to remain spaced from the bottom member for a predetermined distance, and means for reinforcing the bottom member comprising a plate affixed thereto and extending throughout a substantial area immediately above the marginal region of the disc unit to receive engagement therefrom in event of deflection of the turntable base from its normal plane.

'7. A turntable base according to claim 6 in which the reinforcing means includes also a plurality of slats afiixed to the bottom member and extending adjacent its periphery on all sides to the outside of the disc unit in close proximity and in partial overlapping relation thereto whereby to afford protection to the disc unit as well.

8. The combination of a resilient bottom member with a center opening, a turntable base for the bottom member comprising an apertured mounting plate and aligned raceway units of uniform diameter on opposite sides thereof in engagement therewith, spaced thrust bearings of the same diameter as the-raceway .units wherein the outermost raceways are seated, a pivotbolt extending axially between the spaced-thrust bearings "and *therebelow, and a disc unit fixedly carried by the pivot bolt below'the bottom'memher in closely"spacedrelationthereto-adapted to engage therewith 'at'a pointrem'cte from the 'bolt axis" in response to deflection oftherbottom'member outof its normalplane.

'- 9. The combinationof a bottom member with a a central opening; a;pair of superposed-ball'racewayunits :ofuniformdiameter; thelower race- :way unit: being located-"within the opening of the bottom member and the upper. raceway unit" being'arranged above thebottom' member," upper and lower thrust blocks wherein the 'raceways are seated, a disc assemblybelowthebottom member, and a pivot *bolt in'connection withthe racewayc units and extending downwardly therefrom and carrying at its-lower portion the disc assembly, the top and bottom' raceways, the two thrust blocks and the disc-assembly below the bottom member rotatably supporting the bottom member.

10. The combination 'of'a bottom -member formed witha center opening therein, a turntablebasefor the bottom member comprising a raceway'unit afiixed to the bottom* member and arranged within and extendingdownwardly from the-opening thereof,-a-pivot bolt-in connection 'withthe raceway unit and' extending downwardly --therefrom,- and a disc unitcarried by the'pivot bolt; below the'bottommember in closely spaced relation thereto and in engagement --with the raceway unit arrangedfor rotationfreely-relative to the bottom member'supported thereby, the disc unit comprising plural discs of plywood interconnected into a single unit, load-supporting roller housingsfittedinto sockets formed in the "with the raceway unit and extending downward- :ly therefrom, a disc unit carried by the pivot bolt below the bottom member in closely spaced relation thereto and'in engagement with the -raceway unit arrangedfor rotation freely relative to the bottom member supported thereby, a Lplate fixedly secured on'the top face'of the disc unit,

and load-supportingroller housings fitted into sockets extended through thedisc unit-to the plate at the top thereof, each housing engaging with the top plate to be backed thereby in sustaining the vertical load imposed by the supported bottom member.

JOHN LUFT. REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are of record in the file "of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,533,509 Hovda Apr. 14, 1925 1,542,231 Garfield -1 June 16, 1925 1,772,304 Bosque Aug. 5, 1930 1,975,291 Ritter 1 Oct. 2, 1934 1,989,073 Bosque Jan. 19; 1935 

